Europe Day – Celebrating Our Stories!

From Cremona to Cremona (Bulgaria, 2016), documentary, 75’
Written and directed by Marina Averina, produced by Martichka Bozilova (Agitprop / Bulgaria) and co-produced by Erica Barbiani (Videomante / Italy).

Link to online screening: From Cremona to Cremona.
Password: MEDIA2024

Synopsis: A young apprentice leaves a comfortable life in Bulgaria to follow in the footsteps of the great Stradivari at Italy’s famous Cremona violin making school. So begins a journey to overcome the language barrier, homesickness, and the inequities of the violin making industry. This warm film gives a charming insight into the world of people grappling with tradition and competition to turn their musical passion into a profession.

The Staffroom (Croatia), fiction drama, 126’
Written & directed by Sonja Tarokić, produced by Ankica Jurić Tilić (Kinorama / Croatia) and co-produced by Janja Kralja (KinoElektron / France).

Link to online screening: The Staffroom.
Password: MEDIA2024

Synopsis: Anamarija starts a new job as a counsellor in a school, which is a place full of petty conflicts and cliques. Initially she tries to stay out of the power games played by the headmistress, teachers and parents and just do her job with the children. But as she gets to know the system better Anamarija understands that in order to survive she has to sacrifice her integrity and play own game in the staffroom.

Melting Dreams (Slovenia), documentary, 84’
Written and directed by Haidy Kancler, produced by Boštjan Virc (Studio Virc / Slovenia) and co-produced by Film  Flair / Austria and  Kinocompany / Finland.

Link to online screening: Melting Dreams.
Password: MEDIA2024

Synopsis: In Bamyan, Afghanistan, three local girls trained by Ana, an instructor from Slovenia, dream of becoming professional skiers and compete at the Olympics. But when they arrive in Europe for intensive training, they face an unbridgeable cultural gap and the relentless reality of Europe’s professional sport.

Additionally, on 9 May at 19:00 CET, the Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Croatia together with the Kino Edison in Karlovac will organise a physical screening of the film Vasil written and directed by Avelina Prat and produced by Miriam Porte (Distinto Films) / Spain) and co-produced by Mina Mileva, Vesela Kazakovaat (Activist 38 / Bulgaria) at the Kino Edison in Karlovac, Croatia in partnership with Europe Direct Karlovac.

Vasil (Spain, Bulgaria, 2022), feature film, 92’ 

Synopsis: Vasil is a street-homeless Bulgarian immigrant in a well-heeled Spanish town. Intelligent and charismatic, through his talent for chess and bridge he makes a name for himself at an exclusive and prestigious club in the city, despite being homeless. Taciturn retiree Alfredo offers his sofa to the young Bulgarian and a classic odd-couple friendship develops, though they seem to share little in common beyond their passion for chess. Vasil slowly breaks down the barriers put up by Alfredo, because Vasil has a gift: he makes a difference to the lives of people he connects with.

Europe Day – Celebrating Our Stories! event is organised by Creative Europe MEDIA Desks in Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovenia in partnership with Kino Edison in Karlovac and Europe Direct Karlovac.